NPR announced Tuesday that Nancy Barnes would take over as permanent chief news of the organization, filling a year-long vacancy left after former editorial director Michael Oreskes resigned last November after past accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced.
Barnes is a longtime newspaper veteran who previously served as executive editor at the Houston Chronicle and also led Hearst’s other newspapers in the Lone Star State.
NPR CEO Jarl Mohn cited that experience while offering effusive praise of Barnes in a recent interview.
“I think one of the things we need is great newsroom leadership, and I think she’s demonstrated that in the past two places she’s worked,” he said, according to NPR, which first reported the story.